The purpose of this paper is to examine the problem of HIV/AIDS in older and elderly populations. To this end, the paper first provides a description of the prevalence, symptoms and characteristics of the disease in older groups. This is followed by a delineation of the history of the transmission of the disease in older groups with consideration of factors that have lead to the current increase in HIV/AIDS in older populations.
The paper then goes on to examine the kinds of psychosocial and medical treatment provided to older and elderly AIDS patients. The review ends with a formulation of a series of conclusions about the disease in older groups and a series of recommendations as to how to improve the quality of HIV/AIDS care for this population.
HIV/AIDS In Older People:Prevalence Symptoms and Characteristics
Prevalence. Although the HIV virus is commonly associated with young adults, geriatric AIDS has increased from an incidence of 6.9 percent in 1981 to almost 11 percent in 1995 with homosexual and bisexual males representing the largest caseload (Whipple & Scura, 1996). According to projections, the transmission of HIV among heterosexuals older than 50 (Whipple & Scura, 1996).
Moreover, Whipple and Scura (1996) report that the total number of older persons infected with HIV are expected to continue to increase because they (1) express themselves sexually, (2) may be or may have been iv drug users, (3) may have received HIV-infected blood transfusions prior to 1985, and (4) may have an already compromised immune system.
There has been some research suggesting that established statistics may be problematic. For example, El-Sadr and Gettler (1995) report that HIV infection among the elderly has not been fully investigated in the United States as a result of older groups' exclusion from targeted HIV-testing programs and the perception that they were not at significant risk.
In an effort to provide a...